[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Those who followed my last challenge know I have some STUFF going on, and it's brought up some anxiety/depression. Therefore, without neglecting physical habits, I'm doing a mental health challenge.

 

First, the physical stuff:

• Strength training 2x week
• Cook as often as possible
• I'm in different facilities for work, which means I'll easily get steps on the days I'm at work
• Stretch on non lift days when not at work, preferably stretch on work days as well (I stretch to cool down after strength workouts)

 

Now, the Mental health Stuff

• Gratitude: Post three things for which I am grateful on my updates
• Imagine myself happy. Spend 30 seconds each day imagining myself happy. At one point a few years ago a therapist said when you do this your brain codes it as a memory and it can help overall mood and be a coping skill for anxiety
• Self-Affirmation: Write three nice things about myself when I do my updates. 

 

That should about cover it  

[XBlackWidowX]

It's a great challenge, and so wholesome! You tackle all different aspects to make yourself feel better.

 

6 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Imagine myself happy. Spend 30 seconds each day imagining myself happy. At one point a few years ago a therapist said when you do this your brain codes it as a memory and it can help overall mood and be a coping skill for anxiety

Fake it till you make it, right? 

 

[Sovalis]

I'm here for this! Happy to support!

[Elastigirl]

Following and cheering you on!

[fleaball]

19 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Imagine myself happy. Spend 30 seconds each day imagining myself happy. At one point a few years ago a therapist said when you do this your brain codes it as a memory and it can help overall mood and be a coping skill for anxiety

 

here to watch you crush it again

[Scaly Freak]

33 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

• Imagine myself happy. Spend 30 seconds each day imagining myself happy. At one point a few years ago a therapist said when you do this your brain codes it as a memory and it can help overall mood and be a coping skill for anxiety

 

This is very similar to the reason for why gratitude exercises are so effective for coping with anxiety.  

[Snarkyfishguts]

I LOVE this challenge. I hope you find some peace as you practice. 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

1 hour ago, XBlackWidowX said:

It's a great challenge, and so wholesome! You tackle all different aspects to make yourself feel better.

 

Fake it till you make it, right? 

 

Wholesome is something I strive to be  
Fake it till you make it is a big part of that strategy.

1 hour ago, Sovalis said:

I'm here for this! Happy to support!

Thank you!

1 hour ago, Elastigirl said:

Following and cheering you on!

Welcome as ever.

1 hour ago, fleaball said:

 

here to watch you crush it again

It's a pretty amazing strategy.

46 minutes ago, Scaly Freak said:

 

This is very similar to the reason for why gratitude exercises are so effective for coping with anxiety.  

I very much plan to stack the attributes.

22 minutes ago, Snarkyfishguts said:

I LOVE this challenge. I hope you find some peace as you practice. 

I hope so to. Glad you are here.

[Stronkey Kong]

[deftona]

Hiiiii! 

 

Following along

[WhiteGhost]

7 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

• Gratitude: Post three things for which I am grateful on my updates
• Imagine myself happy. Spend 30 seconds each day imagining myself happy. At one point a few years ago a therapist said when you do this your brain codes it as a memory and it can help overall mood and be a coping skill for anxiety
• Self-Affirmation: Write three nice things about myself when I do my updates. 

I love all of these ideas

[Sepherina]

Here to lend support and encouragement on your journey. 

[shaar]

I practice gratitude A LOT lately and it definitely helps put my mental health in a better place every time.

 

You will do great this challenge, I just know it!!! (I am always happy to also perform Bardic Caps Lock Inspiration as needed heheh)

[Cheetah]

You can do it!

[Heidi]

12 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

• Gratitude: Post three things for which I am grateful on my updates
• Imagine myself happy. Spend 30 seconds each day imagining myself happy. At one point a few years ago a therapist said when you do this your brain codes it as a memory and it can help overall mood and be a coping skill for anxiety
• Self-Affirmation: Write three nice things about myself when I do my updates. 

I did this with an accountability friend back in the summer of 2016.

When I started, I felt ridiculous (and also the self-affirmation piece was much ahrder than I expected).

After 90 days, I was amazed at the difference.

 

Here to support and send love and compassion. 

I belive in you.
 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

7 hours ago, Stronkey Kong said:

Something like that  

6 hours ago, deftona said:

Hiiiii! 

 

Following along

WELCOME!

4 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

I love all of these ideas

I'm grateful you said that. I imagine myself happy thinking about you loving those ideas. 

2 hours ago, Sepherina said:

Here to lend support and encouragement on your journey. 

I'm glad you are here.

29 minutes ago, shaar said:

I practice gratitude A LOT lately and it definitely helps put my mental health in a better place every time.

 

You will do great this challenge, I just know it!!! (I am always happy to also perform Bardic Caps Lock Inspiration as needed heheh)

I'll cast Summon SHAAR CAPSLOCK when needed.

12 minutes ago, Cheetah said:

You can do it!

 

That movie came out in my Senior Year when I was a trainer in high school. I was very enthusiastic about the movie.

9 minutes ago, Heidi said:

I did this with an accountability friend back in the summer of 2016.

When I started, I felt ridiculous (and also the self-affirmation piece was much ahrder than I expected).

After 90 days, I was amazed at the difference.

 

Here to support and send love and compassion. 

I belive in you.
 

I've done the self affirmation before, so I know I can do it, but I'm glad it worked for you, as I know it will for me.

[Wild Wolf]

26 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

That movie came out in my Senior Year when I was a trainer in high school. I was very enthusiastic about the movie.

 

You woulda made a great linebacker like Bobby Boucher.

 

 

Here for the ride, my friend

 

Wolf

[Maggie-Miau]

Waving pompoms for you, Sir Tank ❤️ 

[KB Girl]

13 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

 

This is very similar to the reason for why gratitude exercises are so effective for coping with anxiety.  

That's the reason I started with a gratitude journal. Someone explained it to me as exercise for your emotional bandwidth, so you pick a positive emotion that comes easily to you and then practice feeling that for a bit every day, which then strengthens stuff and makes it easier to bounce back after emotions in the other range. 

I think gratitude probably works for a lot of people, but we (this was during a course) actually tracked positive emotions for a week to figure out which one was felt most often/easily. It was gratitude for me. 

 

Excellent challenge Tanktimus! Love your track record of taking care of yourself. 

[Rookie]

Hey this is a great challenge! I definitely think its so easy to get caught up in everything and forget the positives. I really like the imagining yourself happy goal.

[Heidi]

15 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Imagine myself happy.

'Fess up: you knew this was coming when you typed those words.

[RES]

15 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Imagine myself happy. Spend 30 seconds each day imagining myself happy. At one point a few years ago a therapist said when you do this your brain codes it as a memory and it can help overall mood and be a coping skill for anxiety

I'm going to have to test this one out...

[Harriet]

Such a wholesome list. I hope your lifting and cooking and stepping and emotional training turn out well!

 

1 hour ago, KB Girl said:

That's the reason I started with a gratitude journal. Someone explained it to me as exercise for your emotional bandwidth, so you pick a positive emotion that comes easily to you and then practice feeling that for a bit every day, which then strengthens stuff and makes it easier to bounce back after emotions in the other range.

 

Oh that sounds awesome. I have trouble with gratitude, actually, because of how I frame it, I guess. But I could practice other positive emotions.

[Shello]

Great mental health goals!  I learn so much from following you so I'm going to follow again! 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

7 hours ago, Wild Wolf said:

 

You woulda made a great linebacker like Bobby Boucher.

 

 

Here for the ride, my friend

 

Wolf

Mamma says foosball is the devil.

7 hours ago, Maggie-Miau said:

Waving pompoms for you, Sir Tank ❤️ 

Thank you!

6 hours ago, KB Girl said:

That's the reason I started with a gratitude journal. Someone explained it to me as exercise for your emotional bandwidth, so you pick a positive emotion that comes easily to you and then practice feeling that for a bit every day, which then strengthens stuff and makes it easier to bounce back after emotions in the other range. 

I think gratitude probably works for a lot of people, but we (this was during a course) actually tracked positive emotions for a week to figure out which one was felt most often/easily. It was gratitude for me. 

 

Excellent challenge Tanktimus! Love your track record of taking care of yourself. 

Thank you, I appreciate the kindness.

6 hours ago, Rookie said:

Hey this is a great challenge! I definitely think its so easy to get caught up in everything and forget the positives. I really like the imagining yourself happy goal.

It's very effective.

5 hours ago, Heidi said:

'Fess up: you knew this was coming when you typed those words.

I have a FB memory today for a book proposal We Must Imagine Sysyphus Happy: The Thought of Camus and The Wiping of a Toddler's Nose

5 hours ago, RES said:

I'm going to have to test this one out...

Try it, you'll like it.

5 hours ago, Harriet said:

Such a wholesome list. I hope your lifting and cooking and stepping and emotional training turn out well!

 

 

Oh that sounds awesome. I have trouble with gratitude, actually, because of how I frame it, I guess. But I could practice other positive emotions.

It's basically "I'm glad this exists."

4 hours ago, Shello said:

Great mental health goals!  I learn so much from following you so I'm going to follow again! 

Reading that you learn from me is a big encouragement, thank you.

 

Gratitude:

1. I'm grateful for kind words from everyone here
2. I'm grateful for experience to know how to navigate at work
3. I'm grateful for my family

Imagine myself Happy: Done

 

Self-affirmation

1. I'm a good man
2. I am wise 
3. I am a good husband and father

Today is a good day. I got 13k steps yesterday. I probably won't get that many today, but I'll get my 7k. I did stretches in the morning. The plan is to strength train tomorrow (no work). I cooked. I'm not going to write out what I cooked every day. I've been doing that for years, and I don't want to burn out. I'm feeling toasty, so I'll only write out what I cooked if I really liked it and want to brag.